Italian squash bake

1 medium-large zucchini, sliced

1 medium-large yellow crookneck squash, sliced

2 large shallots, sliced

2 tomatoes, sliced (halve slices into half-moons if too large)

5 to 10 garlic cloves

2 teaspoons dried Italian herb seasoning

1 tablespoon olive oil

juice of ½ lemon

½ cup shredded mozzarella or parmesan cheese, or mixed

salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray an 8-inch earthenware or regular baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Season the vegetables with a little salt and pepper.

Layer the squash, tomato and shallot slices "shingle style" in the dish, alternating vegetables. Don't hesitate to pack the vegetables in fairly tightly; the slices should not be completely flat.

Once the vegetables are all snuggly in the baking dish, sprinkle on the garlic cloves and dried herbs. Drizzle on the olive oil and squeeze on the lemon juice. Cover with foil and bake for a half hour.

Remove the foil and continue baking for an additional half hour, sprinkling the cheese on top the last 15 minutes (for a total bake time of about an hour). Serve warm or room temperature.

Serves 4

Nutrition information per serving: 123 calories, 6 g fat (2 g saturated), 7 g protein, 12 g carbohydrate, 3 g fiber, 8 mg cholesterol, 259 mg sodium.

Melissa D'Arabian